Spurs manager Harry Redknapp in dock over tax evasion

Judgement day: Spurs' title hopes were dented after defeat to leaders Manchester City and now manager Harry Redknapp could miss as much as two weeks as his tax evasion trial begins at Southwark Crown CourtPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

The Tottenham Hotspur manager, who watched his side lose 3-2 at Manchester City on Sunday, is charged with two counts of cheating the public revenue dating from his first spell as Portsmouth manager between 2002-04.

Redknapp is jointly charged with former Portsmouth owner Milan Mandaric, who will appear alongside Redknapp at the south London court in a trial expected to last two weeks.

It is alleged that the pair fraudulently concealed payments totalling £295,000 from HM Revenue and Customs by paying the money into a Monaco bank account opened by Redknapp specifically for the purpose.

The payments are alleged to have been made by Mandaric in two tranches, one of $145,000 (£93,000) and a second of (£96,000) £150,000, between April 1 2002 and Nov 28 2007.

The Crown alleges that the payments were made “with intent to defraud and to the prejudice of HM Revenue and Customs as a result of or in connection with Henry James Redknapp’s employment and as a reward for services”.